LONDON DISTRICT CAGE

• Douglas Richards was born 1st March 1928 in Grange Town, Cardiff, South Wales.
• On 2nd January 1941 and again in 1943, Douglas was caught up in air raids upon Cardiff. He even recalled that in 1943 he was in the cinema watching "Strike Up the Band" featuring Judy Garland when the "Incoming air-raid" notice was given. Leaving the cinema, Douglas was caught in the blast from a bomb which unbeknown to him perforated his ear drums.

• At the age of 17 years, Douglas joined the Welsh Guards in 1945.
• He undertook his initial training at Caterham, Surrey and it was whilst at this training that the damage to his ears became apparent.
• In 1946, Douglas was regimentally employed to the War Crimes Investigation Unit based at the London District Cage in Kensington Palace Gardens - houses 4, 6 and 8 (Number 2 was the Russian Embassy).

Photograph of No 8 and 8a Kensington Palace Gardens taken in 1938 by the "German Section of the Foreign Office, Hayes" during their search for suitable premises to requisition for "special purposes" after the outbreak of the war.

Lt Colonel A.P. Scotland was in charge of the LDC

• Douglas always carried a side arm and received specialist training.
• Douglas was the officer sent to Island Farm to arrest Gerd von Rundstedt in May 1946. Douglas told me that Rundstedt spoke excellent English and hated Nazism.

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